15 things I wish I had known earlier

A few weeks ago I started a list called “things I wish I had known earlier” in my journal.

I initially came up with 15 lessons about life, love, and relationships.

Here’s the latest edition.

1. Don’t Listen To “No”The best things in life only happened after people heard “no.” Did they quit? No.

2. Keep A JournalNo, keeping a journal is not for children. It helps you to become a better thinker and writer. “I don’t want to be a writer” you might think. Well, how many emails and texts do you send a day? Everybody is a writer.

3. Don’t Start A Relationship If You’re Not In LoveI’ve done this more than once. You kind of like someone and think: “We might as well give it a shot.” Not a good idea. You’re either in love, or you are not. Don’t fool yourself. It’s not fair to you and the other person.

4. Exercise DailyA healthy body is where you have to start everything in life. If you can’t build a healthy and strong body, what can you build in life?

5. Be GratefulSay ‘thank you’ to everyone and everything. “Thank you for this beautiful day.” “Thank you for your email.” “Thank you for being there for me.”

6. Don’t Care About What People ThinkWe all die in the end, do you really think it matters what people think of you?

7. Get Comfortable With Being UncomfortableLife, work, relationships, challenges. It’s all uncomfortable. So get comfortable with that.

8. Value Yourself“Who am I to say something?” Well, you’re a human being who wakes up every morning and contributes something to this world. You have the right to say and do anything you want. Recognize that.

9. There’s No End GameWe, as a species, just are. Don’t try to figure it all out. Enjoy your journey.

10. Enjoy Small ThingsI like clichés because they are true. Especially this one. You know why? Everyone says they know it, but no one lives up to it. They just chase big things.

11. Don’t Take Yourself SeriouslyYeah, yeah, you’re an individual, and people have to take you seriously, I get it. But at the end of the day, we’re all a bunch of ants trying to chase the same things. Lighten up.

13. Never Look Back Too LongReflecting on the past is only good for one thing: Learning.

13. It’s Okay To Be SadLife’s not always great. We all know that. But why do we pretend we’re okay while we’re not? Because we’re too proud. If you’re not doing well, admit it. Now, you can work on getting better.

14. Avoid Negative Situations And PeopleYou can’t underestimate the impact others have on you. Get away from negativity at all cost.

15. Rely On Yourself Because it’s the best feeling in the world to know you can figure things out by yourself. But don’t overdo it. Ask for help when you need it.